This Year Was Different
by yindream
Summary: HadesxPersephone oneshot. Spring has come yet again and it is time for Persephone to return to her mother. However, there is something different about this year that makes things a bit more complicated. Light T. A little angsty but I hope you like it.


Disclaimer: plot mine, characters belong to... the universe or something. Or the ancient Greeks, who are all dead.

Little angsty but hopefully good. Enjoy.

"He stole her from me, my precious daughter. He stole her and dragged her down to the sun-forsaken place to rot with him. He forced her to marry him and kept her chained down there!" The accused stood quietly with his arms crossed and a deceptively calm look on his pale face. Everyone however, excluding the still shrieking woman, could see his clenched jaw and stiff posture. Beside him, stood the supposed captive with a look of sadness and hint of anger that did nothing to disfigure her beautiful features. She looked up at the tall man beside her and he, feeling her gaze, responded. His face was still a stone, yet she could see anger in his eyes and in the corner, a hint of fear. That despite everything, she might never return.

She slipped a hand under his crossed arm to intertwine her fingers with his. He took a deep breath and she realized that he had probably not been breathing since they had set foot in the room. Her mother, still making banshees sound pleasant in comparison, missed this interaction and was still convinced that her daughter had been treated heinously. The mighty one sat on his throne with his in his hands, trying to rub the ever growing headache away with little success. Finally he had enough and stood.

"SILENCE." His voice filled the hall and still rang after the word had fallen. Demeter stood, still fuming, but mercifully silent. Zeus resumed his seat and turned to the still silent pair. "And what do you have to say about this."

"I did take her, yes, but I did not steal her. I did not force her to do anything." The dark one replied shortly. The mother scoffed but did not speak at a glare from the throne.

"And you, daughter. tell me your story."

"It was dark and it was cold and I was frightened."

"See! It's exactly-"

"But he didn't force me. He didn't force to do anything. He didn't even force me to talk to him. He was kind and patient. Very patient, even when I threw a book at his head." She said amusedly and the man beside her gave a slight smile. "I married him by choice just as I ate the food of the Underworld by choice."

"And why did you make that choice?" Zeus asked.

"Because I love him as he loves me."

"No!" came a strangled cry from Demeter. "She's confused, he tricked her into loving him. He cannot possibly love her!" Zeus sighed one his throne and ignored her protest.

"There is a decision that must be made. Her mother has claim to her through the bonds of family and her husband has claim to her through bonds of matrimony. Aside from all this, She has eaten the fruit of the Underworld which is binding such that cannot be broken. She must be in the Underworld"

"And she must be with her mother! Or I will continue starving the Earth until there is no mortal left!" She hissed. Zeus sighed. The verdict would not be easy.

"A compromise, brother." Hades nodded towards the throne and his sister but would not look at her. "My bride only had time to eat six seeds of the pomegranate. Six seeds for six month. Half the year with me and half, above." Zeus seemed pleased by this and was about to agree when he was interrupted.

"No! I cannot be left alone for six months! I need my child! She needs to be with me. She needs sunlight or she will wither!"

"Sister!" Zeus growled from the throne but Hades just shook his head.

"Seven with you and five with me." He said softly.

"Not enough. I am getting old. I need companionship!"

"Eight months"

"Stil-"

"Enough! Sister, enough. She shall be eight months with you and four with our brother. It is decreed and so it shall be!" Zeus exclaimed with a glare to his sister. "Be glad, sister, that I do not give him the eight months for your petulance!"

"The mortals would all die out." Demeter said grumbling.

"But they will not since they need only suffer for four months a year," replied Hades softly.

"One more thing I demand." Demeter added as her brother turned to go.

"What is that." Hades said with his back turned.

"He cannot be allowed to see her in her months home." At this, Hades turned and stared at her.

"No."

"Yes. If you do see her, I will starve the land till there is nothing left."

"Then there will be no mortals to worship us." pointed out Zeus exasperatedly.

"It does not matter."

"It will when you and I and the rest fade to nothing."

"That is why I will get my way." She said, smirking, and turned to Hades. "Isn't that right, _brother_."

"Your worries are not my concern-"

"-Worries! Is nonexistance a worry!-"

"But so it shall be. I will not visit her."

"And I-"

"-I can easily bar you from my realm but I doubt you would grace my 'hell hole' with your presence. So it is settled."

"Yes, well," Demeter looked slightly ruffled. "Daughter, come to me. It is time for spring again." She held out her arms for her daughter to embrace her but instead, Persephone turned to her husband.

"Eight months."

"It is a long time," he agreed.

"I will miss you."

"And I you, little one."

"I am not little!" She exclaimed.

"I was there when you were named, little one. You are very little." He smiled. To prove him wrong, she reached up behind his head and pulled him down to kiss him. He smiled again against her mouth and pulled her flush against him. Demeter protested but the couple ignored her. Eventually they broke apart.

"Eight months." She repeated, stepping backwards, her hand still clutching his.

"It is a long time," he replied and kissed her knuckles before letting her slip through his fingers.

Apollo had yet to rise and the sky was still dark. On this day each year, he was in no rush to begin. Two dark figures stood off to the side of the great throne room that was lit with flaming torches. All the major Olympians were gathered to see the coming of spring. But this year something was different. Hera noticed it first but Demeter was the one who shrieked.

Hera, the goddess of marriage and child birth, smiled slightly at the pair, wanting to congratulate them. It was about time. But as she stared, her smile dropped. For the past centuries, Hades would not relinquish his bride until the rays of Apollo touched them, marking the official start of Spring. This year, Hades was not even looking at his wife. He was staring at the ground with his arms crossed and tense. Persephone was turned to him with shimmering eyes but her hands remained limp at her sides. Hera frowned and again looked at the unborn child still within Persephone. With an involuntary gasp, her eyes flew to Hades.

"Oh Hades." She breathed and he looked up into her face and her heart nearly broke. She had never seen her strong brother look so broken. Zeus, confused and unknowing, glanced and Hera in question.

"What is it?"

"Three months," said Hera softly but everyone in the room still heard her. "She is three months gone."

"But why..." Zeus broke off as he realized what that meant. Six more month. The babe would be born in summer. And Hades was forbidden to visit her. Zeus, finally noticed his brother's and daughter's expressions. Demeter realized what Hera meant slightly after Zeus and made her opinion known on the subject.

"Thank olympus for that!" She exclaimed. "If my granddaughter had to be born in that hell hole-" She gestured to Hades but broke off as she looked at him. His head had snapped up at her words and she shivered slightly at the look on his eyes. She quickly looked away and crossed her arm defensively.

"A goddess of spring cannot have a child born in the land of the dead. You would probably kill the child as soon as it was born from just the stench of death in that place." She had turned away, or else she would not have had the courage to say those words, but the rest of the gods could see his face and Zeus wondered two things. First, what would happen if Hades burned Olympus to the ground, which seemed rather likely judging by the flames simmering over Hades' robes, and whether Hades would finally screw the contract and keep Persephone down there forever. After all, while the other gods relied on offerings and worship from the mortals, Hades benefitted from the dead and would simply have a full realm of the dead even if there were no new mortals coming in.

Despite this fact, as Zeus looked at his brother, Zeus knew that would never happen. Hades looked away from Demeter and up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. Neither of them had said anything and Zeus finally noticed what Hera had already realized. They were only standing a coupe inches apart but there was no contact between them. Hades was even angled slightly away from Persephone as if making sure that he could not see her. Zeus frowned even more and continued to watch them as Demeter continued talking venomously with her back turned. They would not see each other for eight months and Persephone would bear his child in his absence. Why was Hades not holding onto Persephone even tighter than in previous years.

Finally Hades spoke, still with his face tilted and his gaze skyward. "Do not fret, sister. You will not be robbed of your time. You will have Persephone for eight months as agreed." He said softly and Demeter finally turned back around to glare Hades now that his gaze was safely averted from hers.

"Of course I will have my daughter back, _brother_. It has been decreed centuries ago and there is nothing you can do to change that." She spat.

"Actually," Zeus broke in for the first in several minutes. "He can." Demeter whirled around in indignation.

"No he could not! You decreed it to be so and it cannot change!" She insisted.

"If our brother wanted, he could take Persephone and never give her back. Persephone might not be very happy about it, but there would be nothing anyone could do."

"Then I would starve the land until he brought her back," she replied, petulantly.

"And that would only increase his bounty."

"The gods need offerings-"

"No one has ever made an offering to Hades and I doubt they ever will. We cannot continue without them but Hades will have a kingdom to rule long after there is no belief. Your threat does not affect him." Zeus replied slowly and clearly and for once, Demeter could not reply.

"Then why hasn't he done this before now?" said Artemis, stepping forward slightly. She did not quite understand the love between them but she was still curious. No one quite expected Hades to answer but he did anyways.

"I am the ruler and god of the dead," he looked at Artemis and he spoke, "but I am not the cause. It would not affect me but it would you and that is enough." Artemis, stepping back, was slightly surprised at his answer, having never really spoken to Hades or heard his opinions.

Demeter scoffed. "As if you cared about the rest of us."

"Then answer me this, dear sister, why have I not done it before now. I have every reason to do so. I would tear this world apart myself to find her if she was in danger. If she asked, I would take her to the farthest star and never return."

"Then why hasn't she said anything. Why hasn't she begged to be taken back? Or for you to be able to be there when the child is born?" Demeter demanded, asking what they are were wondering, gesturing to her still silent daughter. Zeus looked at his daughter as she looked at him and realized why.

"Because if she asked, he would. He would tear this world apart to get to her." Zeus replied.

"That still doesn't-"

"You speak too much, sister, and listen too little." Hades interrupted. The sky was finally turning a pale pink and Hades look resigned. Hades closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. Then something happened that none of them had ever seen before or even thought possible. Hades had turned away to leave but not before everyone saw the silent tears glistening on his face.

Zeus let his head fall into his hands as the sky continued to lighten. He assumed that everyone would start leaving in a bit, but then a voice spoke and his head snapped up to stare at her. Demeter had her arms crossed and was staring at the retreating back of Hades. She spoke loud enough for the god of the dead to hear.

"Since the child will be born in my realm," she began with a sneer, "I really don't think that the child should be allowed in the realm of the dead. The babe should not be let down there to wither and die, but should stay in the sun to be able to grow healthy and strong, well, as healthy as it can with such a father."

After this speech, the occupants of the hall tried to figure out which of the brothers would try and kill her first. Zeus was on his feet in an instant and his hands crackled with energy as the clouds darkened against the rising sun. Hades turned at the door to look at his sister and she had to take a step back. While Zeus was furious, Hades, his face finally showing some emotion, was looking murderous. Demeter knew that as a goddess she was immortal, but that did not stop her from shrinking from his gaze. He strode slowly towards her and she stumbled back, falling to the ground. When he reached her, Hades crouched down in front of her. He reached out a hand and everyone, including Demeter, thought he would strangle her. Instead he gripped her chin to make sure she was looking at his face and spoke in a low voice.

"You have no power over me or my child. You may be able to see your daughter for eight months of the year but you will never touch my child. Do you understand?" Demeter was too scared to speak but still had a retort on her tongue and Hades could see it and he laughed.

"Oh Demeter, it is lucky you are not the goddess of logic and strategy for you would make a very poor one at that. The contract says that I cannot visit Persephone but that does not mean I cannot visit my dear _sister_. If I am with you, according to the contract, you cannot be in her presence." Demeter opened her mouth but Hades shook his head. "I will not take that child away from her mother as soon as she is born for that would be cruel, but I can take you away from her."

"But-"

"And!" His voice rose and she flinched. "I have no doubt that my brother would be happy to help, being under no restrictions himself." Zeus, who had dispenced with the lightening, met his brother's gaze and nodded. Hades looked back down at Demeter and smiled again without mirth. "You will never see my child." He said with finality and released her chin with a shove so her back thudded to the floor as well. He stood and turned to go. Unfortunately, he turned to wrong direction so his gaze fell on Persephone for the first time since they entered. He froze as they looked at each other and his breath caught in his throat.

"Persephone." He breathed as she gazed at him. She smiled sadly and opened her mouth to speak. Hades shook his head slightly and, with a loud crack, vanished in a billow of black smoke just as Apollo's rays reached him. Zeus sat down hard on his throne and noticed, as the mist cleared, a large spider-like crack in the stone floor, emanating from where Hades disappeared. Zeus sighed and turned to Demeter who rushed over to Persephone. Now that Hades was gone, the daughter finally spoke. Zeus walked out of the room and was grateful that, when angry, Persephone did not take after her mother's banshee volumes.

Demeter never got to see the child, her granddaughter, born, and was kept away until both child and mother returned to the Underworld. And a year later at the beginning of spring, the child, much to the useless indignation of the grandmother, stayed in the Underworld to be with her father.


End file.
